In the field of petroleum well drilling and logging, resistivity logging tools are frequently used to provide an indication of the electrical resistivity of rock formations surrounding an earth borehole. Such information regarding resistivity is useful in ascertaining the presence or absence of hydrocarbons. A typical resistivity logging tool includes a transmitter antenna and a pair of receiver antennas located at different distances from the transmitter antenna along the axis of the tool. The transmitter antenna is used to create electromagnetic fields in the surrounding formation. In turn, the electromagnetic fields in the formation induce an electrical voltage in each receiver antenna. Due to geometric spreading and absorption by the surrounding earth formation, the induced voltages in the two receiving antennas have different phases and amplitudes. Experiments have shown that the phase difference (Φ) and amplitude ratio (attenuation, A) of the induced voltages in the receiver antennas are indicative of the resistivity of the formation. The average depth of investigation (as defined by a radial distance from the tool axis) to which such a resistivity measurement pertains is a function of the frequency of the transmitter and the distance from the transmitter to the mid-point between the two receivers. Thus, one may achieve multiple radial depths of investigation of resistivity either by providing multiple transmitters at different distances from the receiver pair or by operating a single transmitter at multiple frequencies.
Many formations are electrically anisotropic, a property which is generally attributable to extremely fine layering during the sedimentary build-up of the formation. Hence, in a formation coordinate system oriented such that the x-y plane is parallel to the formation layers and the z axis is perpendicular to the formation layers, resistivities Rx and Ry in directions x and y, respectively, are the same, but resistivity Rz in the z direction is different from Rx and Ry. Thus, the resistivity in a direction parallel to the plane of the formation (i.e., the x-y plane) is known as the horizontal resistivity, Rh, and the resistivity in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the formation (i.e., the z direction) is known as the vertical resistivity, Rv. The index of anisotropy, η, is defined as η=[Rv/Rh]1/2.
The relative dip angle, θ, is the angle between the tool axis and the normal to the plane of the formation. Resistive anisotropy and relative dip angle each have significant effects on resistivity logging tool measurements. As a result, resistivity logging systems should account for formation anisotropy and relative dip if accurate resistivity logs are to be obtained. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,163,155 (“Electromagnetic wave resistivity tool having a tilted antenna for determining the horizontal and vertical resistivities and relative dip angle in anisotropic earth formations”), Michael Bittar discloses one such approach that employs resistivity logging tools having tilted transmitter and/or receiver antennas.
Bittar and Hu further disclose certain techniques for processing measurements from such tilted antenna logging tools in applications PCT/US2006/062149 (“Antenna coupling component measurement tool having rotating antenna configuration”) and PCT/US2007/064221 (“Robust inversion systems and methods for azimuthally sensitive logging tools”). The present application relates to application PCT/2011/030145 by Hou and Bittar, which presents a multi-step inversion scheme to determine measurements that have been corrected for the effect of the borehole. While providing a number of potential advantages, the multi-step inversion scheme imposes a computational resource demand that is undesirably high.
It should be understood, however, that the specific embodiments given in the drawings and detailed description thereto do not limit the disclosure. On the contrary, they provide the foundation for one of ordinary skill to discern the alternative forms, equivalents, and modifications that are encompassed together with one or more of the given embodiments in the scope of the appended claims.